Sacramento daily record-union., 1887-08-11
The ADVERTISER" ON CALIFORNIA,

San Jose.
THE ADVERTISER" ON CALIFORNIA.
On Saturday the REcoRp-UNIoN COM
mented at length upon the gross misrepre-
sentations of California correspondent of
the New York Commercial Adqertiser. who
attempted TO describe the chief products of
Northern California, and to speak of its
climate in comparison with that of the
southern section. \ dispatch in this
mornings REcoRDiUNIoN gives at consid
cradle length, the response of the Adre,-
tiser to flood of criticism and protest that
has been showered upon it. As whole.
the reply of the New York journal indi-
Gates fairly correct knowledge of climatic
and productive conditions here and a de-
sire to deal fairly with the question.
It, however, excuses rs Santa Monica
correspondent on the ground that as Califcr-
MIA is Of such great extent, and has such
variety of climates as to bewilder and sur
prise the casual observer il should not be
expected that II casual correspondent.
writing from one particular section of this
State, and knowing nothing of other sec
tions, should give other than local color
te his expression, any more than
when one writing from New York displays
his Ignorance Of Charleston. But here is
tho flaw in tho d,Iyary;en,,o q Z g. I. c,
Monica correspondent claimed afiirma-
lively TO have knowledge concerning the
whole, or the larger portion of the State:
he expressly stated, for. instance. that he
had visited the Sacramento valley So far
as the Eastern reader was concerned. he
was justified in believing that the Ad,er-
Users correspondent spoke by the book
when he declared that Northern and Cen
tral California sections were devoted
chiefly to mining and vineyards, with the
implication that they produce little else
than grapes and minerals, and with the in
situation that its climatic conditions are
not inviting or tolerable.
Of course, if the -1drafiseg's correspond
ent had confessed in his letter that he
knew nothing of the central and north
sections, his expressions, so far as the COM
parisons drawn were concerned, would have
been valueless. Indeed, with such an ex
planatory preface the Adrcrtiser would
have rejected the letter Our New York
contemporary therefore begs the question
for Its correspondent, and we submit. by
n process of reasoning that is nothing short
of absurd. Would the Adcertiser have its
California readers understand that letters
appearing in its columns and purportine to
speak intelligently of any particular State
OF the Union or the world, are TO be ac-
cepted by lis readers as valuable and reIia-
bic only from the standpoint of the par
ticular places from which the letters hail ,
Certainly it will not willingly so far be-
little its own sagacity and skill as a sensi
bic journal as to confess that it publishes
original matter that is to be taken with
such allowance, in the absence of note or
explanation that this letter is unreliable
IN Its statements, except so far as they relate
to the immediate section from which it
halls" We can fancy the New York pa
per using electrotyped "slugs" with the
lines containing such PREDATORY warning
with which to introduce the casual corre
spondents.
Californians can afford to excuse the few
errors in the Adratiser's explanation of
the climates of California, since the gem
eral tone of Its article is just and its main
statements substantially correct, though
lacking clearness on minor subjects. Thus
the explanation that while it is warm at
Sacramento, it may be an oyercoat-day in
San Francisco, though the places differ little
in latitude or altitude, should have pointed
out that the first place is in the heart. of a |
broad, sheltered valley, and the latter upon |
4 narrow peninsula between the ocean and
great bay, and exposed to sea winds and
fogs, and noteworthy for its variety of
climatic moods. Yet none are severe, and |
all are superior to most Atlantic seaboard
climates. SO, too, when it is stated that so |
extreme are the differences between sec
lions OF this State that no statement one |
can make of California is true or I'M /
true, there is indulgence in hy-
perhoie. Latitudinal conditions. II
should explain to its readers, have no
place, practically, in comparisons of Cali
lorna with Atlantic slope climates. Iso-
thermal currents, that cut so scuareIy
across comparisons of latitude as to render
them valuless, combined with ocean cur
rents, bringing sub-frigid waters into \
'ub-tropical latitude and prevalent trade
Winds, are factors in California climate
With which one to be intelligent as to the
auses of climatic peculiarities must be
hmiliar. For instance, there is here no
xeessive cold, even in the higher aIti- !
ndes, as cold is understood at the !